Don't miss Acura Miami Race Week

by Laurie Fullerton on 8 Mar 2005 With 140-plus boats on the line, Acura Miami Race Week 2005 is delivering on its promise of an ‘S.O.R.C. Renaissance’, with racing starting March 10.

For the four days, there will be plenty of sailing action and fun, too, for sun seekers, star-gazers, and party-goers.

Serious competition? You had better believe it. Some familiar names jump out from the entry list: Larson, Butterworth, Dodson.

Chris Larson (Volvo Ocean Race Assa Abloy) is Michael Brennan’s Transpac 52 Sjambok tactician. Brad Butterworth (triple winning America’s Cup tactician) teams up with Dan Meyers on his CM60 Numbers. Tom Dodson, an Olympic competitor, and Team New Zealand afterguard will sail on Peter de Ridder’s Farr 40 Mean Machine.

Sofie Bekatorou, women's 470 Olympic gold medallist is calling tactics on George and Stratis Andreadis’ Farr 40 Atalanti and Oscar Strugstad, new owner of the Melges 32 Dawn Raid and 2001 Farr 40 European Champion, teams up with Adrian Stead, two time Olympian and GBR Challenge America’s Cup tactician.

To add to the names, Jesper Bank, three time Olympic medallist, America’s Cup helmsman, and a cult hero in Denmark is tactician on Wolfgang Schaaefer’s Farr 40 Struntje Light.

\‘Miami is a great venue for racing and this regatta is well-organized, fun and the competition is tough,’ commented tactician Brad Butterworth.

‘What is unique about racing in Miami is you have the city very close to the effects of the Gulf Stream where you are quickly into the challenges of ocean racing. It makes it very exciting.’

For those boats racing four days, 10 races are scheduled, while Biscayne Bay racing begins Friday with eight races scheduled.

The dual venue event has social activities at both the Miami Beach Marina and the Shake-A-Leg Miami headquarters after racing.

It is a true international fleet, with boats from Canada, Germany, the UK, Bermuda, Italy, Greece, Mexico and Monaco.

The United States are well covered with boats from coast to coast – 22 different states are represented.

There are four PHRF classes and four one design classes and J/105s are the largest ocean class, with 18 boats entered of which 16 competed at Key West 2005 and are eligible for the new Florida Grand Prix scoring and award.

Four additional classes quality for Florida Grand Prix awards - Transpac 52s, Farr 40s, Mumm 30s, and Melges 24s. Honors will go the boat with the lowest combined cumulative score from Key West and Miami race weeks.

Biscayne Bay racing is back and the numbers speak to its attraction. 26 Melges 24s, 30 Etchells, 9 J/24s, and a PHRF class hit the line on Friday.

This is the fifth consecutive year that Acura, the luxury division of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. has been the title sponsor for the Miami Beach based regatta.

The Miami Beach Marina is the official site of the event, hosting the two ocean courses, while the new Shake-A-Leg sailing facility in Coconut Grove will be the host site for racing on the bay. The Avalon and South Seas Hotels are the Official Hotels. Supporting sponsor, Mount Gay Rum, is the Official Rum.

Twenty-nine Industry Partners also bring critical support to Premiere Racing events. For more information on these important players, please visit the web site.

For results and information visit the event web site: www.Premiere-Racing.com or www.AcuraMiamiRaceWeek.com.